Multicolored rubber mat.



Patented Nov. l9, l90l.

F. N. UPHAM. MULTIOOLDBED RUBBER MAT.

(Application filed May 9. 1901.)

(No Model.)

j I 1 f, ,6 I

W/TNESSES: INVENTOR I edrz'a flf'fijafiam mwwm By ATTORNEYS UNITEDSTATES PATENT t OFFiCE.

FREDERIC N. UPHAM, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

MULTICOLORED RUBBER MAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters 1?atent 1\To. 687,086, datedNovember 19, 1901.

Application filed May 9,1901. Serial No. 59,395- (No model.)

To a'ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERIC N. UPHAM, a citizen of the UnitedStates,and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, inthe county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Multicolored Rubber'Mats, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description. g

The object of the invention'is to provide a new and improvedmulticolored rubber mat constructed to present at all times-a Verysmooth walking-surface, to insure even wear, and arranged to hold theinlaid rubber tiles securely in place in the rubber sheet or plate, sothat when-the rubber mat is in use the inlaid pieces cannot work upinthesheet and be broken and forced outby'pe'rsonswalking on the mat.

Theinvention consists of novel features and parts and combinations ofthe same, as will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out inthe claims.

A practical embodiment of the inventionis represented in theaccompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in whichsimilar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all theviews.

- Figure 1 is aplan view of the improvemen t. Fig. 2 is a sectional sideelevation of the same on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1. .Fig. 3 is aperspectiveview of one of the inlaid rubber tiles; and Fig. t is a plan view oftheimprovement, showing a different design.

The improved multicolored rubber mat consists, essentially, of a rubbersheet or plate A of one color, and inlaid rubber tiles B of the samematerial and consistency as the sheet or plate A, but of a different orcontrasting color. The tiles B are flush at their top and bottom faceswith the top and bottom surfaces of the sheet A, as plainly illustratedin Fig. 2. The sheet or plate A is formed with apertures A, shapedaccording to a predetermined design, the rubbertiles B beingcorrespondingly formed to snugly fit said apertures A. The lowerorbottom portions A of the apertures A are annularly enlarged to formannular shoulders and to snugly receive annular retaining-flanges B,formed on the lower edges of the rubber tiles B, and in order to securethe rubber tiles in place in the sheet A a suitable cement'is .usedbetween, the-walls of the apertures and the edges of the tiles.

In manufacturingthe'rnbber mat I proceed as follows: A mold the size ofa mat is provided with raised cores set on the bottom of the mold andspaced apart according to a predetermined design and shaped at theiredges to conform to the walls of. the apertures to be made in thesheetA, and into this mold is laid, the unvulc'anized rubber to therequired depth -that is, to'the thickness of therubber mat to beproduced. The sheet or plate of rubber is thenvulcanized -.in' the moldand then removed therefrom, and the rubber tiles B, made in the samemanner in an opposite mold, are cemented into the apertures of therubber sheet, as above described.

When the rubber mat is in use, the flanged portion of the rubber tiles Bare at the bottom and rest on the floor, and the retainingfiange B byabutting against the shoulders formed by'enlarg'ing the apertures A, asdescribed, prevent the inlaid rubber tiles from moving upward, so thatthe inlaid rubber tiles cannot work loose and are always flush with thetop surface of the sheet A, and consequently a uniform wear of theinlaid rubber tiles and rubber sheet is had.

A mat constructed in the manner described can be used until worn throughto the bottom. The edges of the sheet or plate A may be provided withthe usual fastening-such as a tongue and groove, interlocking tongues,-&c. --for fastening. a number of sheets or plates together, and as thelatter are all of the same color the joint does not affect the designand mar the appearance of the article.

'It is understoodthat the inlaid rubber tiles may be made in any desiredshape or-color, so as to readily contrast with the background formed bythe sheet or plate A, and thereby give the multicolored rubber .mat avery as to be flush with both the top and bottom surfaces thereof.

2. A mat, comprising a sheet of resilient m aterial,and provided withapertures extending entirely through the same, said apertures being ofdifferential area at the top and bottom surfaces of the sheet, and tileslocated in said apertures and mating the same.

3. A mat, comprising a sheet of resilient material provided withapertures, and tiles located in said apertures, said tiles havingopposite faces similar in shape but different in size.

4. A multicolored rubber mat, consisting of a fully-vulcanized rubbersheet having apertures arranged according to a predetermined design, andfully-vulcanized rubber tiles fitting the said apertures and secured toand contrasting with the said sheet, the said rubber tiles being flushon top and bottom with the top and bottom of the said sheet, and thesaid tiles having retainingflanges abutting against shoulders in thesheet, as set forth.

5. A multicolored rubber mat, comprising a sheet of one color havingapertures arranged according to a predetermined design and enlarged atthe bottom portions to form shoulders, and rubber tiles of another colorfitting said apertures and having their bottom parts formed withretaining-flanges fitting the walls of the enlarged portions of saidapertures and abutting against said shoulders, the top and bottom facesof the inlaid rubber tiles being flush with the top and bottom surfacesof the sheet, as set forth.

6. A multicolored rubber mat, comprisin g a sheet having aperturesarranged according to a predetermined design and enlarged at the bottomportions to form shoulders, rubber tiles of another color fitting saidapertures and having their bottom parts formed with retaining-flangesfitting the walls of the enlarged portions of said apertures andabutting against said shoulders, the top and bottom faces of the rubbertiles being flush with the top and bottom surfaces of the sheet, and anadhesive substance between the walls of the apertures and the edges ofthe rubber tiles, to permanently secure the latter in place in thesheet, asset forth.

7. A multicolored rubber mat, comprising a sheet of rubber, providedwith apertures having a general clover-leaf shape, and provided withundercut portions to afford anchorage, and tiles of corresponding shapelo-.

cated in said apertures and provided with projections engaging saidundercut portions.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

FREDERIO N. UPHAM.

WVitnesses:

LEWIS L. SCOTT, F. DONNELLY.

